Darren and Nancy

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks' Nancy Hayton - played by Jessica Fox - has been living in ignorant bliss for the past number of weeks, as she's continued her secret liaisons with both men in her life - boyfriend Ravi (Stephen Uppal) and bit on the side Kris (Gerard McCarthy). Unbeknown to Nancy, though, Ravi and Kris have been engaging in their own secret rendezvous. Just what will Nancy say when she rumbles their secret? We gave Jessica a call to find out more about the reveal and the threesome's surprising pact.

Nancy finally catches Ravi and Kris at it in The Loft…
"At that point, Nancy's going to break up with Ravi as she's decided that she wants to be with Kris. Kris declared his love for her and shocked Nancy into thinking she feels the same way back. She then can't believe it that she finds Kris snogging her boyfriend!"

In the aftermath of the revelation, what happens?
"I thought she'd be flying in there, fists flailing, but this has completely stumped her. For the first time ever, Nancy has nothing to say. She just bolts."

Did you not think it strange that she doesn't lash out at one of them?
"Well, we spoke about it and we agreed that it's great that for the first time ever, she ends up speechless. She's always got a comeback for everyone, but in this case she just doesn't do anything. We just went the pure shock factor and tried to put across that everyone's been sleeping with each other, so we've really go no right to be angry with each other."

What happens instead?
"She goes to The Dog and runs into Hannah's arms. She doesn't quite tell her the whole story, but then Kris announces to the room that Nancy's been at it, too."

Then there's a shocking decision made…
"Yeah, I couldn't believe this bit! Nancy, Ravi and Kris decide that they're going to carry on as they were before, but with each other's consent! No words could describe how I felt when I read it for the first time! There's no such things as a threesome in Hollyoaks at 6.30pm, so they went for this three-way relationship idea. She's not comfortable in the slightest, though. Throughout the week, though, Nancy finds the whole situation too difficult and calls it quits quite quickly."

Does she know who or what she wants?
"I think she just wants a boyfriend and someone who'll love and look after her. Deep down, she wants that security which a conventional relationship brings as she hasn't had that for so long. Everyone around her dies! What she doesn't realise is that she has a potential relationship right under her nose."

Who with?
"Russ! I don't think it's occurred to either of them that they could be something more and they're perfect for each other…"

What was your first reaction to this storyline?
"Bryan [Kirkwood] told me that we were going to do a storyline with Kris and Nancy, and I was pleased because I always thought Nancy and Kris would go well together. Then he went on to say that she'd be involved with Ravi at the same time. I was quite shocked to be honest! Nancy's never cheated on anyone in her life because that's not who she is. But Bryan said to me 'we're going to have a lot of fun with this and I want it to be like a Carry On with loads of door-shutting and times when you don't know who's going to get caught'. So that's what we went for in the end."

[Perdita]

Earlier this week, I managed to catch up with Hollyoaks favourite Jessica Fox to chat about her character Nancy's forthcoming storyline reveal - when she discovers that Ravi (Stephen Uppal) and Kris (Gerard McCarthy) have been sleeping with each other behind her back.

To hear more from Jess about the storyline, click here. Read on, though, if you're interested in hearing what she has to say about Jake Dean, her hair colour and what Nancy might be up to in the foreseeable future...

Do you think it's odd that Nancy's never really mentioned Jake since his departure? Or even visited him for closure?
"I think she's just drawn a line beneath the situation. She never mentions him - ever. We've tried really hard to make sure that Nancy didn't just snap back into her old self after the whole Jake incident last year. There's always a bit of darkness with her. That's something that really annoys me in soap, when something really dramatic happens to a character and they forget about it a couple of weeks later."

Do you bring Nancy's crazy hair to the character or are you told what colour to dye it?
"It's a bit of a collaboration to be honest. I had a brown bob forever and I was sick to death of it, so when we came out of the Jake storyline last year, they wanted to change the image. They asked me if I wanted to dye it any colour, so I thought 'let's go red'. I'm now, of course, completely sick to death of it. Everything I own is a pink colour - every towel in my house!"

What colour is she going next?
"With everything she's been through, I think she's grown up, so those days of desperately needing to shock everyone are probably behind her. She's got to evolve."

You've been quite lucky with the storylines you've had over the last number of years…
"Yeah, I've been spoilt with the dramatic storylines and now they've given me some good comedic stuff. Nancy's gone full circle and she's had the chance to become a whole character, rather than just one who has no end of tragedy and no end of silly affairs."

Ho long do you see yourself staying with Hollyoaks?
"I've no idea to be honest. I was initially only meant to be in the show for three episodes, so I've been lucky. At the end of my second day, suddenly there were several more scripts and then a few more. Then I ended up staying! I really love it. You couldn't ask for a more hard working, lovely bunch of people, crew and cast combined."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox has revealed that she wants her character Nancy Hayton to have a massive wedding.

Nancy is currently engaged to Darren Osborne, played by Ashley Taylor Dawson, after they fell for each other late last year.

Fox told Inside Soap of the pair's romance: "It was a relationship that came out of nowhere, but the writers and the audience were so charmed by Nancy and Darren together that it's kept going.

"Everyone wants to be paired up with Ashley, so I just thought, 'Lucky me!' I never thought they were going to last, but we just went for it full throttle."

Discussing how she would like things to progress for the couple, Fox explained: "I would love a big soap wedding. Nancy's last marriage was horrible - she deserves a good one."

Next week's episodes of Hollyoaks see Darren feeling neglected as Nancy seems distracted by her career ambitions.

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox has revealed that she wants her character Nancy Hayton to have a massive wedding.

Nancy is currently engaged to Darren Osborne, played by Ashley Taylor Dawson, after they fell for each other late last year.

Fox told Inside Soap of the pair's romance: "It was a relationship that came out of nowhere, but the writers and the audience were so charmed by Nancy and Darren together that it's kept going.

"Everyone wants to be paired up with Ashley, so I just thought, 'Lucky me!' I never thought they were going to last, but we just went for it full throttle."

Discussing how she would like things to progress for the couple, Fox explained: "I would love a big soap wedding. Nancy's last marriage was horrible - she deserves a good one."

Next week's episodes of Hollyoaks see Darren feeling neglected as Nancy seems distracted by her career ambitions.

Yes I hope they do get hitched

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox has expressed her excitement over future plans for her character Nancy Hayton.

The actress, who has been playing Nancy since 2005, recently landed a new deal to stay with the show for the foreseeable future.

Fox told Inside Soap: "I've just signed a new contract, so I'm sticking around for the time being. I get spoilt with really good plots - and what's coming up is, in my opinion, Nancy's biggest storyline.

"It will be a big year for Nancy and Darren, so I'm very excited."

The 28-year-old added that she was glad to see Nancy moving into The Dog with the Osborne clan at the end of last year. She had previously been living at the Osbornes' house for a few months.

Asked to name her favourite place to film, Fox replied: "It used to be Nancy's flat - I was devastated when we had to move out. Our head of design said I could take anything I wanted, so I auctioned Nancy's freaky doll clock for the charity Breast Cancer Care.

"Nancy's actually moved into the pub with the rest of the Osbornes now, and it's very 'her'."

Hollyoaks airs weekdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4 with a first look screening at 7pm on E4.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks fans will see Nancy Hayton's mother Margaret pay a return visit to the village next month, it has been revealed.

Margaret, who was last seen on screen in 2007, could throw a spanner in the works for Nancy's (Jessica Fox) relationship with Darren (Ashley Taylor Dawson) as All About Soap reports that she is determined to split the pair up once she makes her arrival.

Digital Spy can confirm that actress Darryl Fishwick has reprised the role of Margaret for the return stint.

As fans already know, Darren will soon start plotting a surprise wedding for Nancy, but if Margaret causes trouble, could things go awry for his secret plan?

Hollyoaks will air these scenes in early February.

[Perdita]

Long-standing Hollyoaks resident Darren Osborne experiences a life-changing day in the soap's 3,000th episode this week as his former lover Suzanne Ashworth gives birth to his twin children. Suzanne's waters break at the opening of Tony Hutchinson's new spa Look Sharpe and it's not long before she's calling for Darren to accept his responsibilities and be by her side while she's in labour. But can Darren adjust to the idea of fatherhood, and what will the shock developments in his life mean for his romance with Nancy? DS recently caught up with Ashley Taylor Dawson - who plays Darren - to find out more.

How did you feel about Darren playing such a prominent role in Hollyoaks' 3,000th episode?
"I loved it! I just thought, 'Bring it on - the more the merrier!' It's great - it's a great storyline for Darren as well after all the ups and downs that he's had in his life. It's been good fun to play."

3,000 episodes is a great milestone - what do you think is the secret of Hollyoaks' success?
"I think it's that the show is aimed at a younger audience and also that the directors are allowed to be quite artistic with what they do, whereas a lot of the other soaps are multi-camera and studio-based. Obviously we're single-camera and we get to play around with the shots - we have dream scenes and there's a real comedy aspect to it. It keeps the show young, fresh and interesting. Every episode and every week is different - not just with the storylines, but also with what you're seeing and the way it's shot. It's more candy for the eyes, put it that way!"

The storyline of Darren fathering twins with Suzanne surprised a lot of fans when it was first revealed - what was your own reaction when you heard what was in store?
"I was shocked in the same way, but it's just typical Darren! It's great. Suzanne's return has come at a time when things are going alright for Darren for the first time in his life - he's settled down a bit, he's realised that he's going to go for it with Nancy and everything seems to be going well. But in true Darren style, there's been a big spanner in the works. It makes for a very funny time ahead."


Suzanne gives birth in the 3,000th episode with Darren by her side - what can you tell us about that?
"They're both in Tony's spa, but Darren wants to avoid her after everything that's happened and because he wants to make it up with Nancy. But then Suzanne's waters break and Darren's just in shock - he doesn't know how to handle anything like that... even kids, never mind babies! Darren doesn't know what to do and it's all a bit of a mess, but Suzanne ends up having to stay in the spa to deliver the babies. Obviously Darren is the father so Suzanne starts shouting for him to get involved and he ends up delivering the babies himself! I think it's a moment where Darren changes a little bit."

Is there a comedy aspect to the birth scenes?
"Yeah, definitely. I think with Darren, there's always that sense of him being flustered and everything being a bit of a mess, and we see that here. It's pure shock for Darren - he just doesn't know how to react."

Do you think Darren will be a good dad?
"I think, in his mind, he's forced into it from the beginning. Before the babies are born, he tries to block it out of his head - he's in denial about what's going on. He's tried to tell himself that it's no big deal and that it'll be fine, but the reality of it is massive. When the babies have been born, he does step up to the mark and really tries hard to be the father that he wants to be. It changes him a bit and he matures very quickly, like you'd have to. I think he also enjoys it - he feels complete and like he has a purpose in life, whereas before he was always chasing his tail. That's as much as we know for now."

Will this be a long-term storyline for Darren, or will Suzanne leave the village with the children?
"I really don't know at the moment. It's touch and go, because Suzanne thinks that she's made a mistake by coming back so she considers going back to Spain. She thinks that Darren is a bit of a joke, really. She knows he means well but she doesn't think that he's father material. But Darren really fights against that because he wants to make a go of it. Whatever goes on with the babies, I think it'll really mess with his head!"

Were you glad to see Suzanne Hall, who plays Suzanne, return the show?
"Yeah, she's great. Suzanne's an amazing lady: she's great fun to work with and she's obviously an amazing actress as well. I couldn't be happier that she's back."


Have you enjoyed filming the Darren and Nancy romance?
"Yeah, it's great. It's very funny because Darren and Nancy have always sort of hated each other - he's the opposite of her. She's a feminist and he's a male chauvinist pig! For them to get together is a case of opposites attracting - for some reason it works. I think it's because, throughout their pompous ways, they've both had hard times and been through them with each other because they've known each other for so long. They've never seen eye-to-eye, but I think that when they sit down and chat they realise they have a lot more in common than they think. In the past they just didn't want to accept that."

Can Darren and Nancy's relationship survive after the babies arrive?
"Well, this is the thing - with the babies involved, Darren tries to juggle the lot and he asks if they can all move in with Nancy. We're used to Darren thinking of himself, but for the first time he's not - he's thinking of the babies. He thinks that everything will be fine, but for Nancy, taking on Darren, two babies and the mother of the children is all a bit too much! I think it'll be an interesting story - finding out how they get out of it, how it works and whether they'll stick together. I think they do have something special and it's been fun filming it, so hopefully they'll give it a go."

How did the cast feel about reaching 3,000 episodes?
"It's a great milestone for the show. We've done well over the years and, like I say, Hollyoaks always keeps that freshness about it. Every day is different when you're shooting because there's different directors and that's what I enjoy about doing the show - the directors are all doing different things. Hollyoaks has done really well to get where it has considering where it started, and I hope it goes on to progress. We've had different producers in over the years and we've just changed producers again now, so it's onwards and upwards for 2011! I'm looking forward to the future."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Ashley Taylor Dawson has admitted that his character Darren Osborne's upcoming wedding plans could be a big mistake.

As first revealed last month, Darren soon decides that a surprise Valentine's Day ceremony would be the perfect romantic gesture for girlfriend Nancy (Jessica Fox) - so he starts plotting the event in secret.

Dawson told Soaplife of the storyline: "He's got The Dog back, is content with life and thinks, 'Why not?' He wants to show Nancy how much he loves her and thinks a surprise wedding will do that."

Asked whether it's a good idea, the actor replied: "I don't think so. What does Darren know about weddings? Nancy would want something classy and Darren doesn't have any cash. He'll have to call in a lot of favours, but he hasn't got many friends.

"But this is Darren for you. He comes up with an idea - a bad one - and has to see it through even though he could end up upside-down in mud."

Hollyoaks launches the storyline later this month.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Ashley Taylor Dawson has insisted that his character Darren Osborne isn't interested in Cindy Longford when she makes a move on him later this month.

Cindy (Stephanie Waring) has been helping Darren to plan his secret wedding to Nancy (Jessica Fox) in recent weeks, while still harbouring feelings for him.

As seen in pictures released at the weekend, Cindy will plant a kiss on Darren unexpectedly next week - leaving him stunned.

However, Dawson told TV Times: "Straight away, Darren pushes her away and says, 'No, I'm with Nancy now'.

"He's been through two weddings with Cindy where he's tried to stop her from going ahead with it so she could marry him instead. She didn't take the bait, and he's over all that."

The actor added that the upcoming return of Nancy's mother Margaret will cause Darren to have second thoughts over his plans for a Valentine's Day wedding - as he realises the date has special significance for Nancy.

"When Darren asks Margaret why she's come over, she says she wants to put flowers on Becca's grave on the anniversary of her death - February 14," he said. "He also finds out that Jake tried to rape Nancy on that date."

Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4 with a first look screening at 7pm on E4.

[Perdita]

Fans of Hollyoaks couple Darren Osborne and Nancy Hayton were left delighted tonight (February 15) as the pair's secret wedding storyline had a happy ending.

The popular duo seemed set for a shock split earlier this week when Nancy (Jessica Fox) decided to move away to Canada, wrongly suspecting that Darren was cheating on her with Cindy Longford (Stephanie Waring).

However, the latest episode of the teen soap saw Nancy find out the real reason behind Darren's strange behaviour - before tying the knot with him in emotional scenes.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Ashley Taylor Dawson, who plays Darren, for an exclusive reaction chat about the wedding episode and where things go from here.

Are you glad that Darren and Nancy's wedding went ahead?
"I'm really glad. The whole storyline has been beautifully written. I really enjoyed the fact that it wasn't an obvious affair plot - instead it was just a case of Nancy getting things misconstrued.

"It's a real relief for Darren that the wedding has now gone ahead, especially as he has often worried that Nancy is too good for him. Darren was mortified when he realised that Nancy thought he'd been cheating on her with Cindy, as it had just been a massive misunderstanding between them."

Why do you think an unlikely pairing like Darren and Nancy work so well together?
"Well, Darren is a male chauvinistic pig and Nancy is a feminist, so you'd think that everything would be against them being together. But somehow opposites have attracted! I think Darren brings the best out of Nancy, while she brings him back to reality and gives him some organisation in his life - which he's definitely in need of.

"I think the characters work well together and they challenge each other all the time. It's quite comical, even when they're arguing. In many ways, Darren is a typical man and Nancy is a typical woman."


What about Darren and Cindy?
"I think that everything that Darren and Nancy have got in their relationship is quite serious, whereas the Darren and Cindy relationship was just sex, basically! Between those two, it was more of a raw attraction rather than something that would work well in the long-term. At the same time, I thought it was quite sweet that we revisited the Darren and Cindy relationship, because they have been through a lot together.

"But Darren has matured since then. Their recent goodbye scene was a great one to bring a bit of closure to what they had. I think it shows that Darren is strong and he does want to be with Nancy."

Why was it so important to Darren to have the wedding as a surprise?
"I think it was just typical Darren when he gets an idea in his head! He thought that it would be the best way to show Nancy that he loves her, rather than just doing the normal thing.

"Darren could have just surprised Nancy by taking her out for a nice meal, but his thinking is always a bit mental! He thought the gesture would be amazing. But he didn't really think about how much Nancy would have liked to organise things!"

What was it like to film the wedding?
"As you will have seen on screen, we filmed the wedding outside, so I was a bit worried that it would be a long and miserable day with bad weather! Luckily, it ended up being a nice day, although it was a bit windy. I enjoyed it - it was a nice group of people, so it was good fun to shoot."


What has the fan reaction been like to the storyline?
"All of the feedback on Twitter has been lovely. Everyone seems to have really enjoyed the storyline and been caught up in it. I put that down to the writing and our new producer Emma Smithwick, as what she's been doing here has been great.

"I think what we're seeing now is that scenes are having time to breathe. Instead of just having quick little scenes and loads of stories, the viewers are able to invest in the characters more. There's time to empathise with everyone and see every side of the story, rather than just having quick scenes, which can be fun to watch but aren't as engaging."

Will married life change Nancy and Darren?
"I think the only way it will change them is by giving a bit of solidity to their relationship. It proves to both of them how much they mean to each other, so if anything, I think it will make them stronger.

"They both want the marriage and they want to be together, especially after everything they've been through to get to this point. Hopefully married life will help them to build on what they've already got."


Could there be babies in Darren and Nancy's future?
"It's definitely something that they both want, as everything's going well. I think that's another reason why Darren went ahead with the surprise wedding - he's got the pub back, he feels like he's learned all his lessons, and he's come full circle. This time around, Darren doesn't want to mess anything up and wants to get everything right. Now that they're married, having children is something that they'll look at in the future."

In real life, you and your fiancée Karen welcomed the arrival of a baby boy last March. How are you finding fatherhood?
"It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Every day is amazing as there's something new. He's such a good baby as well - he hardly ever cries, he eats well and sleeps well, so it's like having a little companion buzzing next to you. He's also got the best mum in the world!"

What's next for Darren and Nancy? Can we expect a happy few months on the way for them, or more drama?
"There's a lot of drama on the way and I've thoroughly enjoyed filming it. There's some very exciting stuff coming up, and it's some of the best material that I've had in a long time. I'm loving it."